Lupinus littoralis var. littoralis

Bluff lupine

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Bluff lupine is a California native perennial found along coastal regions in sandy dunes, beaches, and bluffs at elevations from sea level to 50 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces distinctive purple flowers with a white banner spot, arranged in open clusters 12 to 15 centimeters long. Growing less than 30 centimeters tall with yellow roots, the plant is covered in strigose to shaggy hairs, particularly dense at the leaf nodes. Its leaves have long petioles 3 to 5 centimeters long, with leaflets 20 to 35 millimeters in length, creating a delicate, spreading form. The plant's stipules measure 8 to 16 millimeters, contributing to its characteristic coastal woodland appearance.

Habitat: Coastal dunes, beaches, bluffs and terraces, sandy soil

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: 0-50(100) m

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.